Veterans lobby Governor Abbott on THC Ban as SB3 awaits signature
The Brief
Governor Greg Abbott has yet to announce if he will sign or veto Senate Bill 3, which bans THC products.
Veterans are lobbying the Governor to veto SB3, arguing that hemp-derived products are a positive alternative to opioids and alcohol.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick supports the ban, stating it's crucial for protecting children and expanding the Texas Compassionate Use Program as an alternative.
Governor Abbott declined to say whether he'll sign Senate Bill 3 into law, banning THC products. The legislature sent the bill to the governor's desk, but some veterans are putting pressure on the governor to veto it.
The Texas Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) says it has a meeting with Governor Greg Abbott's team tomorrow to talk about why the veteran organization wants him to veto SB3.
During a news conference today, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and other lawmakers stressed that with the passing of SB3, they are expanding the Texas Compassionate Use Program as another option. The VFW said that's not enough.
The fight is not over, as veterans are now lobbying for the governor to veto the bill.
What they're saying
The national and state legislative chairman for the Texas VFW, Mitch Fuller, says veterans testified in front of lawmakers about how these products have been a positive alternative to opioids and alcohol.
"A blanket ban here is going to be pretty devastating to our community," said Fuller. "One of the points we've made is that a lot of us choose hemp-derived consumables because they're more affordable, accessible, and effective in many cases."
Fuller says the VFW was happy to see the program expanded, but they want both options. Fuller has a meeting set up with the governor's team on Thursday. All he wants is for them to hear him out.
"This is about letting veterans choose what works best for them," said Fuller. "We're combat veterans, we've been hit, we've been in rough environments, we've been knocked down, but we're not going to quit fighting."
Senate bill three was a priority of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. During a news conference on Wednesday, Patrick emphasized the importance of the bill and demonstrated it with products that he says contain THC.
"Nothing is more important than keeping a kid from getting a hold of this junk!"
Patrick, along with other lawmakers, acknowledged that there are some helpful products and another bill was passed to expand the Texas Compassionate Use program, which provides medical marijuana in limited situations.
Since the bill passed through both the senate and house, it has moved to the governor's desk.
A spokesperson for Governor Abbott told FOX 4 on Wednesday, "Governor Abbott will thoughtfully review any legislation sent to his desk."
Patrick says he's not worried.
"I pass bills, the governor either signs or vetoes them. I know the governor, I know where his heart is, and I know where he wants to be to protect children and adults."
What's next
Governor Abbott has 10 days to act after the end of the session. He can sign it, let it go into law without his signature, or veto it.
The Source
Information in this article was provided by the Texas Legislature and interviews conducted by FOX 4's Amelia Jones with the Texas VFW chairman.
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